Super Bowl XLVI Preview

     For the second time in four years, the New England Patriots and the New York Giants will battle for a Super Bowl title. When Super Bowl XLII arrived in Arizona, the Patriots were heavy favorites after an 18-0 record prior to the big game. However, the Giants were able to get inside Brady's head, bringing him to the ground 5 different times. With 1:15 left in the 4th quarter, Eli Manning eluded several pass rushers, and, in desperation, heaved a ball deep down the field. Somehow, wide receiver David Tyree managed to catch the ball, pin it against his helmet, and not let the nose of the football hit the ground. In the end, New York came out on top, defeating Tom Brady and the New England Patriots 17-14, handing the Pats their first loss of the season. Since that game, Brady has not been able to win in the playoffs...until now. After beating Denver, and then Baltimore, the Patriots look to win their first Super Bowl in 8 years. And who better to play for a championship then the infamous New York Giants. Though the Pats had a better record this season, these two teams appear to be equal in skill, which should result in a close game. Both franchises have a successful history, combined for a total of 7 championship wins. As America's most watched sporting event takes place this Sunday, The NFL Report will give you everything you need to know for what should be a great championship game.

"The Catch"

     Eli Manning. Several years ago, the first thing I would think of when hearing that name would be "Oh, that's Peyton Manning's brother." Now, I think of Eli Manning as an elite quarterback in the NFL. As of late, many people begin to speculate whether or not a second Super Bowl win would guarantee him a spot in the Hall Of Fame. On the other side of the field, Eli will face off against Tom Brady, a future Hall of Famer, and in my opinion, the greatest quarterback of all time. Though Brady had a bad game against Baltimore, his 2012 playoff passer rating averages out to 105.8, 2.7 points ahead of Eli. Unfortunately for the Patriots, star tight end Rob Gronkowski has been dealing with an ankle injury these past few weeks, and will be questionable for the big game. If Gronk were to be missing, there would be a large hole in the Patriots offense, for he is a strong and powerful wide receiver capable of trampling defenders. Though a great running game does not necessarily win championships, rushing the ball should be key for both teams this weekend. During both the regular season and the postseason, these two teams were equal when it came to running the ball. Pats running back Benjarvus Green-Ellis has yet to fumble a football in his pro career, so Belichick will use him frequently when needed. As for Tom Coughlin's team, New York has the spectacular running duo of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs (327 yards 1 touchdown this postseason) which should give New England trouble.  When it comes to defense, the Giants pass rush may force Brady to make bad decisions, for they ranked third overall in sacks with 48 during the regular season. New England's offensive line does a great job of protecting their star QB, and they will have their hands full against the Giants. However, if the Giants are able to get to Brady early on like they did in Super Bowl XLII, New England will have a hard time putting points on the scoreboard. Unfortunately for the Giants, their offensive line looked very weak against the San Francisco 49ers, and Manning took many hard hits late in the game. If pass rushers like Vince Wilfork (6 total tackles, 1 sack against Baltimore) are able to hit Manning hard early on, the Patriots will control the entire game. The 18-1 season is still fresh in the minds of Patriots fans, along with those who played for Belichick in 2007. They will be hungry for yet another championship, and a win against New York would bring closure to die hard Pats fans. On the other hand, Manning threw 16 picks in the regular season, yet he has thrown just one this postseason. If he can stay consistent, Eli should give New England a hard time. Otherwise, Brady will win his 4th Super Bowl and be tied with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for the most Super Bowl wins in NFL history.
Patriots over Giants 27-24
Super Bowl MVP: QB Tom Brady: 305 passing yards, 2 TD's

PASSING EDGE: Patriots

RUSHING EDGE: Giants

WIDE RECEIVER EDGE: Giants

TIGHT END EDGE: Patriots

OFFENSIVE LINE EDGE: Patriots

PASS RUSH EDGE: Giants

RUSH DEFENSE EDGE: Patriots

PASS DEFENSE EDGE: Giants

SPECIAL TEAMS EDGE: Patriots

OVERALL EDGE: Patriots

Via Stevie436